You Had Me At Hello
by awriterofthings
Summary: Beca tries to get up the nerve to say hi to Chloe.


"I used to feel so alone in the city. All those gazillions of people and then me, on the outside. Because how do you meet a new person? I was very stunned by this for many years. And then I realized, you just say, "Hi." They may ignore you. Or you may marry them. And that possibility is worth that one word."

― Augusten Burroughs

**You Had Me At Hello**

Beca was sitting with her best friend, Jesse in a coffee shop by her apartment catching up on each other's lives. They had been busy with work. Both achieving the dreams they had when they were younger. Beca's beats could be heard on the tracks of the most famous of artists and Jesse brought tears to the eyes of viewers in the movies he scored. They were living the life. Well, Jesse was anyway. Beca still hadn't met anyone worth settling down for and she'd be the last to admit it, but she was lonely. Yeah, she had friends and she kept herself busy with them and work but she wanted more. She wanted someone to come home to; someone to share her thoughts with and just be Beca. Not Beca the music producer.

"Are you ready to go?" Jesse asked as he finished his coffee.

Beca checked the time on her cell phone. "Not yet."

Jesse looked at Beca with curiosity sparkling his eyes. "Is something supposed to happen? Are we going to be a part of a flash mob?"

Beca rolled her eyes at the man. "No flash mob, sorry to disappoint you."

The door to the coffee shop opened and Beca's eyes brightened at the sight of a beautiful redhead gracing the place. She took in the sight of the woman. Her hair was in a ponytail and she had on workout clothes. It was different than the formal wear Beca was used to seeing her in.

Jesse, who had been trying to speak to his friend but realized it was a lost cause, turned his head to see what had captured Beca's attention. He smiled when he spotted the redhead in line. "She's pretty."

Beca's eyes snapped to Jesse. "What?"

Jesse laughed. "She's cute. Are you stalking her?"

Beca rolled her eyes. "No, I'm not stalking her. I just happen to know the timeframe for which she comes here." Beca looked back at the mystery woman. "She is gorgeous, though, isn't she?" The redhead had caught Beca's attention two weeks ago when she had entered the coffee shop humming _No Diggity. _It was one of her favorite songs and she hadn't expected a woman in a business suit to be humming it. It had definitely caught her attention. Days after that, the redhead would do a lot to catch Beca's attention like humming her favorite songs, laughing while she enjoyed coffee with a blonde Beca always saw her with and tipping the baristas a friendly amount in the tip jar. She was someone Beca definitely wanted to get to know.

"Yeah, you should go say hi," Jesse said.

Beca's eyes returned to her best friend. "Why would I do that?"

"So you can get to know her," Jesse said, matter-of-factly.

Beca shook her head. "That's weird. Who does that? She'll probably think I'm crazy."

"Do you want me to get her name for you?" Jesse asked, starting to get up.

"What? No! Sit down," Beca ordered.

Jesse sat back down and stared at Beca for a beat before speaking. "That is the first person I've seen you interested in in a long time. You should do something about it. You need someone, Beca. I hate to see you alone."

"I'm not alone. I have friends." Beca knew Jesse was right but she'd be damned if she let him know it. "I don't even know if she's gay."

"Then at least you'll have a new friend."

"If she even wants to be friends."

"Never know unless you try. What's the worse that could happen? She doesn't want to hangout? At least then you know you gave it a shot."

"No," Beca said, sternly.

Jesse sighed. "Fine. I'll drop it... for now."

Beca watched the redhead leave with her usual order of a caramel macchiato and let out a deep breath. She did need to do something before she drove herself crazy.

* * *

Several days later, Beca was back in the coffee shop determined to do something about this irrational crush that she found herself harboring. As she moved to stand in line, she heard the bell of the coffee shop ring. She glanced behind her and her eyes widened when she saw the redhead. Beca's heart began thumping in her chest and she felt butterflies... no, birds. She felt birds running rampant in her stomach. She fought her instinct to bolt and moved up in line as the other person finished. As she continued to wait, she heard the redhead answer her ringing phone from behind her.

"Hey, Bree... I can't tonight. The deadline for that article is nearing and I haven't even written one word yet... It's not an excuse... I'll go on the stupid blind-date next week, okay? ...Just make sure this one's not clingy... are you kidding me? The last girl you set me up on a date with wanted to know where I was every five minutes."

Beca wouldn't deny that she was eavesdropping. How else was she supposed to garner information about the redhead? The smile spreading across her face couldn't be stopped. She now knew that the redhead was into women. _Score one for Beca._ The brunette moved up to the counter and ordered her usual. "And can I also get a large caramel macchiato for the woman behind me?" She asked the barista as she dropped money into the tip jar.

The barista smiled and nodded his head as he put in the order. Beca battled with herself on what to do next. She could get her coffee and leave, having the barista give the redhead the coffee she had bought her or she could do it herself. She was starting to feel nauseous. Beca took a deep breath. She was a star music producer. She could manage to hand a woman a cup of coffee.

The redhead ended her call and moved up to the register asking for her usual. She was surprised to hear that the woman before her had already paid for her coffee. She thanked the barista and moved down the counter to where the brunette stood. "I heard you bought me my usual."

Beca turned her head to look at the woman and she could've sworn she felt her breath leave her body. She had never seen the woman's blue eyes up close and personal like this and... wow. "Um, yeah, I did. It was just my way of saying hi. I've seen you here a lot and I've been wanting to speak to you." Beca mentally kicked herself at how lame she sounded.

The redhead smiled and tilted her head to the side. "You're sweet. Thank you."

Beca shrugged. "It's not a problem. Happy to do it."

One of the baristas placed two cups of coffee down in front of them and Beca said her thanks as she picked them up, handing one to the redhead.

"Thank you..."

"Beca," Beca said with a smile.

"Nice to meet you, Beca. I'm Chloe."

The two shook hands and Beca was expecting them to part ways but she was surprised when Chloe gestured over to an empty table.

"Want to sit?" She asked. "Unless you have to get going, but it's not everyday I have a beautiful woman buying me coffee so I hope you can stay."

Beca was pretty sure her heart was stumbling around in her chest. "I can stay." Chloe flashed her perfect smile and Beca joined her at the table.

As they spoke, Beca learned that Chloe worked at an advertising company and sometimes freelanced for a magazine for fun. The woman said she liked to stay busy.

When Beca revealed who she was, she was entertained by Chloe singing one of the most recent songs she had produced.

"With all the crap that's been coming out in the music industry, you really give music a second life. I love listening to your stuff. You used to DJ at The Diamond before you made it big, right?"

Beca nodded. "I did."

"I knew you looked familiar! I used to love going there just to lose myself in your beats," Chloe stated, happily. "You're a music god."

"Wow, thanks. That means a lot."

"It's just the truth." Chloe checked the time and sighed, unhappily. "I have to get back to work, but we should definitely do this again." Chloe pulled out her phone and handed it to Beca. "Go ahead and plug your number in there."

Beca did as she was told and handed it back. "Maybe we can have dinner soon."

"Dinner sounds great. I'll call you." Chloe stood up. "Thanks again for the coffee, Beca."

"Anytime." Beca watched Chloe leave and had to stop the urge to bounce around excitedly in her chair like a schoolgirl. That had gone a lot better than she had expected. She was glad she had gathered enough courage to go through with it. She wasn't sure where this would lead them but she was excited to find out.

* * *

Five years later...

"Babe have you seen my laptop?" Beca entered the kitchen and went over to Chloe.

"I have. I hid it," Chloe smirked as she tossed a bag of popcorn into the microwave.

Beca wrapped her arms around the woman from behind and kissed her on the neck. "Now why would you do that?"

"Because we're having an impromptu movie date night, which means-,"

"No work, no cell phones and no falling asleep during the movie." Beca nipped at Chloe's neck. "Does this impromptu date include sex on the couch?"

"If you play your cards right," Chloe grinned. "Try not to fall asleep during the movie and we'll see." Chloe loved movies and Beca hated them so the brunette would watch them with her but eventually doze off.

"Go get yourself sexy for me and I'll finish getting the snacks ready." Beca pulled away and Chloe kissed her before leaving the kitchen.

Beca turned on the microwave and pulled two champagne glasses out of the cabinet. As she set about getting everything ready in the living room, she heard Chloe coming down the stairs. She smiled when she saw the redhead in sweatpants and one of her old t-shirts with her hair pinned up into a ponytail; all traces of makeup gone from her face. "You're beautiful." Beca took the few steps over to Chloe and kissed her.

Things quickly became heated and Chloe was the one to pull away. "Rein that lust in, sweetie. We still have a movie to watch."

"We can watch it after." Beca leaned in to kiss Chloe again but the redhead sidestepped her and plopped down on the couch.

"Then I won't have any incentive to make you watch the movie." Chloe patted the empty space beside her.

Beca sat down beside her and let out a sigh. "You're evil."

"You love me."

"That I do." Beca kissed Chloe on the cheek. "I'm glad I said hi to you that day in the coffee shop."

Chloe smiled as she twirled her wedding ring around her finger with her thumb. "Me too."

The two cuddled together on the couch and started the movie, both thinking about how lucky they were to have found each other in a big city where sometimes true love could pass you by.


End file.
